September 12 2024 - 9 Elul 5784 | | | In today's News from Agudah: Your voices made a difference! Five billion dollar school choice bill heads to the floor; Are you a small business owner in NJ? Agudah's NJ office launched a small business consulting initiative; Nearly 2,000 students across Florida are benefiting from a new $3.5 million transportation subsidy initiated by the Agudath Israel of America's Florida Office; Updates from Capitol Hill and Ohio; Recap of the Ozer event in North Miami Beach; Bnos summer initiatives come to and end; The Agudah is hiring; and, don't miss this week's Bnos and Pirchei newsletters.
Did you get this email as a forward? You can subscribe to the Agudah's updates by clicking here. | | | | Your Voice Made a Difference: Five Billion Dollar School Choice Bill Heads to the Floor | | Yesterday, the House Ways and Means Committee passed a five billion dollar education tax credit proposal entitled the "Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA)" (H.R. 9462). ECCA has received support from more than 150 members of the House and is the fastest and surest way to expand school choice to all 50 states.
To the thousands of you who filled out our action alert to contact your representatives, your voice made a difference. And to all those who did not, you now have a chance as the bill heads to the floor for a full vote. | | Agudath Israel has been at the forefront of crafting and promoting ECCA, working with the sponsors and coalition partners over the last several years, Agudah staff participated in hundreds of meetings. We have submitted a legislative memo to the House Ways and Means Committee in support of ECCA, explaining the impact the legislation would have for the Orthodox Jewish community and on the benefits to all schoolchildren.
We are all too aware of the plight of yeshiva parents who struggle to afford tuition for their children.
ECCA offers one critical form of "school choice" – i.e, methods that provide parents the financial ability to choose schools best suited for their children, whether they be public, private, or religious. This bill will encourage taxpayers to invest in education by allowing a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit for taxpayers who contribute to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGO). These SGOs would then provide scholarships for a range of educational expenses, including private school tuition! This approach, with its nearly universal eligibility, promises to be of great benefit to parents who struggle to afford tuition at the yeshivos and Jewish schools of their choice.
It is vital that you contact your representatives by using our portal, clicking here. Congress must hear your voice. | | | | Agudah's NJ Office Launches Small Business Consulting Initiative | | As every business owner can testify, sometimes talking to someone who's done it all before can launch you to new heights. Agudath Israel of America's New Jersey Office is pleased to announce the launch of their new Small Business Consulting (SBC) initiative, where New Jersey-based small business owners can meet with experienced businessmen to ask questions and receive personalized guidance to grow their companies.
Business owners will meet an advisory committee for a personal session dedicated to resolving a wide variety of questions, ranging from business basics and strategic planning to management ideas and solutions.
Mr. Yossi Shuck, a partner at Bernath and Rosenberg; Mr. Elliot Zaks, a principal at Madison Commerical Real Estate Services; and Mr. Colev Gestetner, a healthcare executive each built up their own companies and know how beneficial it can be to discuss your business with someone who has been in your place; they are ready and waiting to share their experience and help new businesses thrive.
The initiative's founders, Mr. Moshe Netzer, Mr. Moshe Tress, Mr. Shmuli Werdiger, and Mr. Shloimy Zeldes created the SBC to help bring businesses to the next level.
"Running a small business comes with questions," said Mr. Shuck. "Our goal is to give small business owners the support they need to confidently navigate challenges and ensure long-term success."
To connect with the Small Business Consulting initiative, call 212.797.8176, email sbc@agudah.org, or visit agudah.org/small-business-consulting-questionnaire. | | | | Agudath Israel of America Florida Office Launches $3.5 Million Transportation Subsidy for Nearly 2,000 Students | | As the new school year kicks off, nearly 2,000 students across Florida are benefiting from a new $3.5 million transportation subsidy initiated by the Agudath Israel of America's Florida Office. This significant effort is making school transportation more affordable and accessible for families, alleviating the challenges many previously faced.
The subsidy is part of a pilot program aims enhance campus safety and security, a top priority for Agudath Israel. In addition, the initiative is expected to ease the burden on parents, many of whom have had to spend considerable time managing carpools and waiting in long lines.
While this marks a significant milestone, the work is not yet complete. Agudath Israel plans to return to the state at the end of the year to present the program's impact, with the goal of securing continued funding. The organization also aims to expand the program to include more schools and students, ultimately striving to provide affordable transportation for every Jewish student in Florida.
Agudath Israel expressed its gratitude to the program's sponsors, Representative Mike Caruso and Senator Lauren Book, as well as to Governor Ron DeSantis for supporting the initiative in the final budget. Thanks were also extended to Teach Florida for their work on the Jewish Day School Grant.
Families who have benefited from the subsidy are encouraged to show their appreciation by sending a short video or photo of their children thanking the Governor and state officials. These expressions of gratitude will play a crucial role in advocating for the program's continued support. | | | Rabbi Yossie Charner, Agudah's director of congressional affairs on Capitol Hill with Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ 5) | |  | Agudah Ohio participated in a roundtable discussion with Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted and school leadership at the Cincinnati Hebrew Day School (CHDS), discussing the positive impact of EdChoice. Our families across the state heavily utilize EdChoice, which has tremendously strengthened our communities and schools. We were at the forefront of the initial battle to pass EdChoice and its expansion to universal eligibility and work continuously to expand and strengthen this vital program. | | | | Florida Ozer Center Mens Evening | | What an amazing evening! Over 110 community members gathered last night in North Miami Beach to learn about the impact of the Florida Ozer Center. It was an incredible night filled with awareness, support, and community building.
Binyamin Herman, the evening's host, introduced the program and spoke about the significant accomplishments and contributions of Agudath Israel of Florida over the past years. He expressed his pride in being both a supporter and a friend of the organization.
Rabbi Aharon Dovid Singer, Rosh Kollel of the North Miami Beach Kollel, delivered a powerful message about how Jewish communities come together to support one another in times of need. He shared a poignant anecdote about hospital staff recognizing when a Jewish patient is about to arrive because of the influx of gifts and food delivered for them. Rabbi Singer expressed his unwavering support for the Florida Ozer Center, noting that he has personally witnessed countless families and individuals helped, assisted, and impacted by their outstanding work.
Rabbi Moshe Matz, Director of Agudath Israel of America Florida Office, emphasized the organization's gratitude to the host committee, who stepped up in an exceptional way and were true partners in every sense of the word. He also thanked the Agudah board members, who have been supportive for years, as well as all the local Shul Rabbonim. Finally, he expressed his deep appreciation for the hardworking staff behind the Florida Ozer Center, praising their dedication to each call, case, and the greater cause of the entire community.
Rabbi Avrohom Luban, Associate Director of Agudath Israel of America Florida Office, provided a glimpse into the incredible day-to-day work of the Florida Ozer Center. He shared a few sample cases, highlighting the profound impact the Center has had. Rabbi Luban offered an inside perspective, revealing that even the Ozer staff have been amazed by the magnitude of the impact they've been able to achieve.
To date, the Florida Ozer Center has assisted 576 cases and facilitated over $4,157,153 in savings for local families and individuals. However, Rabbi Luban emphasized that it's not just about the savings or the hours of frustration and aggravation avoided. It's about people knowing that when they have a need, the Florida Ozer Center is there for them. "Whether big or small, if it's important to you, it's important to us," he said.
After a powerful video showcasing the Center's incredible work and touching testimonials from community Rabbonim and individuals who have benefited from the services, Avrohom Liberman brought the evening to a close with an emotional touch. He shared, "I didn't tell this to anyone, but I was actually supposed to be away traveling tonight. However, I changed my plans to be here. I feel this organization is so important, and I wanted to show my support and be here." He urged the community to support the Center, partner with it, and ensure it has the funding needed to continue serving the growing needs of the Florida community. | | | | Click here for this week's Pirchei newsletter.
Click here for this weeks Bnos newsletter. | | | | Filled with Fulfillment: Bnos's Jam-Packed Summer | | No matter that school is out... Bnos is in! With a summer chock-full of activities and initiatives, Bnos Agudas Yisroel is continuing their year-round work of inspiring and engaging girls in a non-academic environment.
The summer kicked off with Bnos's first-ever Summer Weekly Bnos Groups, with a special Pirkei Avos theme. Over 100 home groups, sleepaway camps, and day camps received weekly booklets according to the mishnah of the week with different lessons, stories, and games to inspire their Shabbosim.
When the three weeks rolled around, Bnos held a virtual Shiva Asar B'Tammuz event for girls, featuring an inspiring and timely story by Rabbi Mayer Erps.
Bnos then took their immensely successful Tehillim Initiative from the school year to a new level, with thousands of girls from 80 day- and sleepaway-camps around the country sending in charts full of the perakim of Tehillim they said in their free time. Bnos commends all the girls who used their time productively and truly internalized the power of Tehillim – may all your tefillos be answered l'tovah!
For the past few years, Bnos has encouraged camps to visit nursing homes. This year, a special initiative took place during the Nine Days, called the "Week of Giving." Camps inspired their girls with the importance and significance of visiting the older members of klal Yisroel. With a launch video and song, points to bring out in camp shiurim, and templates for girls to write letters to seniors, the Week of Giving saw a record 20,000 girls connecting to the generations above them.
On Tisha B'Av itself, Bnos hosted two lectures – for women, an inspiring speech by Mrs. Tobie Teller and Mrs. Nechama Denbo about elevating and adding meaning to Tisha B'Av; and for girls, a story by Rabbi Mayer Erps about ahavas Yisroel.
The summer drew to a close with a hyper focused Tehillim Initiative for Tu B'Av - camps across the country were given lists of those in need of shidduchim for their campers to have in mind on this special day.
"Thank you for providing fun with a purpose and giving us these opportunities to add meaning to our camp day!" said one camp director. "While having fun is a very important piece of summer, giving girls the ability to be inspired and focused adds so much to their experience."
With this incredible summer almost behind us, it's time to gear up for the school year – with the smashing success of their summer programs, Bnos is looking forward to the most amazing year yet! | | | - Director of Agudath Israel of America's Missouri Office - St. Louis, MO
- Associate Director of Government Affairs, Agudath Israel of Illinois – Chicago, IL
The successful applicant should be self-motivated, have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, possess excellent organizational skills, and computer literate. No prior legislative experience is necessary, as comprehensive training will be provided. As representative of the Agudah, the applicant will need to embrace the values of Agudath Israel and follow the direction of the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah. The positions offer a competitive salary with a generous benefits package. For more information or to submit a resume, please contact careers@agudah.org | | | | Have You Experienced Antisemitism?
Agudath Israel has created a portal for individuals to reach out to Agudah Legal with cases of discrimination. Cases will be directed to experienced lawyers and professionals who will provide guidance as the situation warrants.
Agudath Israel is working with The Lawfare Project, the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, and several law firms, including Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. In most instances, services can be provided on a pro bono basis.
To contact Agudah Legal with a case of school or workplace antisemitic discrimination, email discrimination@agudah.org, or call 646-254-1678.
With thanks to the Harry H. Beren Foundation D.I.B. | | | May Hashem heed our tefillos- and may we sharebesuros tovos. | | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment